Thank God I am not on the bridge today!

It has been a long, long time since I visited my own blog...

As I no longer am required to make a daily commute over the bridge, I have joined the ranks of those people who seemingly "could not care less" about the plight of those who have to cross the bridge.

Truth be told, I care.  I care a LOT.   However,  after experiencing a type euphoria, from no longer having to be part of the bridge insanity,  I didn't want to spoil my serene complacency by re-visiting any of my memories of the bridge horrors.  So I stopped all bridge discussion (with friends, or whomever I could corner to complain to)  and desisted all blog activity having to do with the West Seattle Bridge.  I haven't added to my blog since April!   But today -- after reading about the morning commute (or lack thereof) I could no longer remain silent on the matter.

Back in the day, last year, when I was trying to raise awareness of the bridge insanity -- during the time in my life when I had to commute across the bridge not once, but twice a day -- I came to the conclusion that the reason nothing was getting done about the bridge was because there were so many people who did not experience the utter failure of the West Seattle Bridge.    When you do not experience it -- you can't truly imagine it.   If you try to describe the horrible bridge situation to those that do not, or have not experienced it,  you are wasting your breath.  It is unimaginable, even with the best of descriptions.

Today the bridge remained (remains?) backed up and clogged because of accidents -- and.... the lack of tow trucks available to clear the bridge!!! ????    OMG.   Then someone apparently fainted during their commute and that required an ambulance....how's that going over?  I need to check the West Seattle Blog (www.westseattleblog.com) -- who does a great job of keeping folks as up to speed as possible on the bridge insanity.   Just reading the comments on the blog is painful enough for me -- it throws me right back into that time in my life, not so terribly long ago, when I was one of those poor people who found themselves helplessly among hundreds of other anxious, angry, and beyond frustrated bridge commuters.   I feel my blood pressure rising as I type.

So, what is to be done?  There are people who care and there are people who are organizing.  There are people who know what can be done and there are people who apparently don't want anything to be done.  Who are these various groups and what is their agenda?

If you care about correcting this situation -- you best find out who the players are and what they are up to.

And for all my Bridge Buddies out there who must continue be part of the hellish commute across the West Seattle Bridge, please know that it can always get worse, and it will -- think micro-housing, podominiums, viaduct destruction, tunnel construction (perhaps?).

I believe there needs to be a planned, organized, systematic protest -- where many of us fine West Seattle citizens gather in a place that can't be ignored (*midspan?!)  and raise our collective voices over what is a totally unacceptable bridge situation.


Yours Truly,

Bridge Buddy

* I am not advocating an unsafe protest, but I have often fantasized about a time when all morning commuters simply stop their cars, get out, and walk away -- leaving the bridge littered with cars and a traffic jam to rival all traffic jams.  Such a protest would certainly make the news and garner attention.  There might be a few tickets issued and perhaps jail time -- but hey -- seems the end justifies the means.   But I am not advocating for this -- just imagining it.

For up-to-date traffic information regarding the West Seattle Bridge, please visit one of my favorite sites...
westseattleblog

Gee, ya don't say...

I hate to say "I told you so",  but I did.

Apprently there's a slight delay in the tunneling project...

This just in from www.westseattleblog.com:
Highway 99 tunnel machine won’t dig again before March 2015 ...
hence the new timetable for getting the Highway 99 tunnel going again.  Digging will hopefully start again in “late March 2015,” according to the latest update from WSDOT’s contractor Seattle Tunnel Partners.
_____________________________________

Well then, can't they just issue shovels and get on with it?

No matter -- even when the tunnel is complete, we'll still be sitting pretty, waiting to cross the West Seattle bridge.

New cracks in viaduct while Big-Bertha still sleeps...

News that you might want to be aware of -- especially for those of us who travel off the island.

Check it out at
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2014/03/10_SR99Inspections.htm

The important part is that the Alaska Way viaduct is going to close on March 22 for a spell... so engineers can inspect:

..."new cracks, as well as movement and widening of existing cracks, along girders and supports near Spring and Seneca streets. "    from WSDOT


And in case you would like to read further commentary and reporting on all things West Seattle, including transportation and over-development  -- check out the westseattleblog.com
(who always provides real time and pertinent West Seattle news).

I know I have said this in previous posts, but it seems relevant given today's news and certainly deserves another posting...

My husband and I have always called the Alaskan Way viaduct  "the IHOP" -- which of course stands for "International House of Pancakes".    From day one of living in Seattle (when we moved here 20 years ago) -- and we read about the double-decker death trap of a viaduct... we knew it was a potential "flattening" mechanism of demise.  Yet, we continued to drive it... what choice do Seattleites really have when I-5 is a parking lot from dawn to dusk? 

So --we would choose to drive on the viaduct with a rather macabre sense of humor -- calling it the IHOP while we drove as fast as we could to get off it.

Now it continues to crumble -- and you can actually see cracked concrete and "stuff" when you drive across it -- especially from the lower deck.   And to make matters worse... Big-Bertha, our state-of-the-art "digger", continues to be inoperable, delaying the viaduct's replacement tunnel construction. 

Two major unknowns here as far as I can see:
When will the viaduct fall down?
Will the viaduct be replaced before it falls down?

The third question that goes along with the first two is:
When will Big-Bertha get fired so that we can get on with actually replacing the viaduct?

Oh, one last thing -- some people believe that it is the tunneling project that has brought on new cracks -- sounds like a reasonable deduction. 

Have a great day and pay no attention to the recent, major, tectonic activity along the West Coast...

Times a wasting! Hop to it West Seattle...

It is time for action my fellow bridge warriors!

For the love of all things sacred!  *and especially the love of West Seattle

Take Action: Send Email to Seattle City Council

I strongly encourage you to join forces wth the rest of us who are urgently concerned about the over deveopment of West Seattle (especially given there seems to be little to no legitimate oversight.)

I personally support the agenda presented by Getting It Right for West Seattle http://gettingitrightforwestseattle.com/ and I have taken their recommendation about writing a letter to Tom Rasmussen, our Transportation Chairperson, re: the proposed development at 4755 Fauntleroy Ave. SW.

 I implore you to do the same.  Here is their suggested letter, which I have cut and pasted here, for your convenience:

To: Tom.Rasmussen@seattle.gov
CC: tim.burgess@seattle.gov; sally.bagshaw@seattle.gov;
sally.clark@seattle.gov; mike.obrien@seattle.gov;
kshama.sawant@seattle.gov; nick.licata@seattle.gov;
bruce.harrell@seattle.gov;  jean.godden@seattle.gov;
BCC: info@gettingitrightforwestseattle.org
Dear Transportation Chairperson Tom Rasmussen:
{INTRODUCE YOURSELF}
I’m concerned that the proposed development at 4755 Fauntleroy Ave SW, as designed by Weingarten Developers, directly conflicts with the recommendations of the community-developed and approved West Seattle Triangle Plan. I’m also concerned the current proposal will make our traffic problems even worse as tractor trailers, delivery trucks, and more cars block traffic on Fauntleroy Ave SW. I urge you to withhold approval of the proposed megaproject and require Weingarten Developers to submit other design alternatives that will not worsen traffic and are consistent with the West Seattle Triangle Plan.
Sincerely,
{YOUR NAME }
{YOUR ADDRESS}

Look familiar?  This is my commute, EVERY DAY of the week -- twice over.  
The responsiblities I have as a parent require me to drive downtown and return to West Seattle, only to turn around later in the day, cross the bridge again into downtown, and return again to West Seattle.  I am a person who sees the bridge situation for what it is -- a clear indication that THINGS ARE BROKEN in West Seattle.  And guess what -- it is fixing to get WAY, WAY worse.  I am not an alarmist, I am simply stating the obvious.

Your Bridge Buddy
See you on the bridge!

New Year but same old same old...

Today's commute -- what can I say?   Words really can't describe it, but I'll try.....

"Cuckoo-crazy" is what first comes to mind.   For me, that just about sums it up.  

Now don't get me wrong, I love all my bridge buddies dearly (and by "bridge buddies" I am referring to all you other commuter people who find yourself stuck with me on that God forsaken chunk of concrete,  trying in vain to get from point A to point B)  but sometimes I just want to drive across the bridge by myself.

Today I asked the gods that be to "please let me cross the bridge" without incident.  But of course the answer that was given was "NO!  No, no, no, no, NO!  You can NOT cross the bridge without incident"  

Why can't I cross without incident?  BECAUSE,  many other things are on the bridge thwarting my efforts and crushing my meager dream of an incident-free bridge crossing.
What kind of "many other things" are hindering my crossing?  Things such as all of the following, and a few more that I'm sure I have inadvertently left out: 

wrecked cars, cars out of gas or otherwise disabled cars,  aid cars, fire truck, police car, tow truck, lower bridge opening, ten billion other cars, and a donkey

What about you? 

 

What do you have to say about the bridge commute?   

Please leave a comment  or  share a story below.....

Bet ya didn't know that de-icer makes roads more slippery than ice.

Regarding the fact that cars are spinning out of control and crashing into each other on the West Seattle bridge -- this just in from Seattle DOT:

With colder temperatures approaching, SDOT applied liquid de-icer to the high-rise bridge as a pretreatment prior to the evening commute and football game.
Due to current warm temperatures, the de-icer can create a brief period of slippery conditions, especially if vehicles are traveling above the posted speed limit.
Out of caution, SDOT is applying sand on both directions of the structure to address any traction issues. We expect the bridge will reopen by 3:00 p.m.

Sounds like SDOT is trying to redirect the blame to commuters -- "traveling above the posted speed limit" Ha!  I just tried to get on the bridge to pick up my child from downtown and couldn't -- as the bridge was closed.  I turned around to go home and wait it out -- my tires spun while making a very slow turn off Avalon onto Fauntleroy.   The road was slick, it had nothing to do with my speed .  My wheels spun and I was barely moving.   I think it stinks that SDOT is trying to put blame on drivers when they clearly f-ed up.

Apparently the city is now putting sand on the road to make the de-icer not so slippery -- what?!

While they do that -- they have closed the bridge entirely in both West and East bound directions.   C-R-A-Z-Y.

Pretty funny if it weren't so terribly moronic...check out the coverage on the West Seattle Blog...

http://westseattleblog.com/

Are we second class citizens?

It seems to me that West Seattle has become invisible to the rest of the city.   Or are we just the second class citizen neighborhood?  Maybe we're simply pushovers?  Easy targets?  Why else would our fine neighborhood be allowed to fall victim to roughshod developers?

We put our faith in city government, believing they would, at least, keep West Seattle's best interests on the table (when making decisions about city development and planning).  But we have sadly been foresaken by our elected leaders.   They have swept the best interests of West Seattle completely off the table and onto the floor.  What's left on the table, instead, is a pile of greed.

If we don't take swift and decisive action -- we are basically bending over and taking it in the you know what.

Have you driven around West Seattle recently and seen what all the cranes are up too?  Have you noticed the "proposed land action" signs that have popped up EVERYWHERE?   Have you driven across the bridge during commute time?  Have you noticed that free parking is starting to become a thing of the past, in West Seattle?  I often wonder how many condos and apartments the area can sustain -- and that frightens me because I am CERTAIN that nobody can answer that question and I'm fairly certain nobody who is in the development business, is actually working on answering this question.   Most likely, however, there is someone who is working to NOT answer the "how many is too many" question.

It is my opinion that West Seattle needs to have infrasturcture in place before any additional mega-developments are begun.  We can't stop growth, but we need to grow in an orderly fashion.  Too much growth is a bad thing.  Unplanned growth is a dangerous thing.   We are heading toward the danger zone in West Seattle.

If you want to really become educated and do your part as a responsible citizen -- take a look into the following links and decide for yourself what needs to be done:

West Seattle Transportation Commission

http://westseattleblog.com/2013/09/make-history-be-there-as-west-seattle-transit-coalition-launches/

http://genesee-schmitz.org/
West Seattle Green Space Coalition 

http://gettingitrightforwestseattle.com/

Good day to sleep in

I'm glad I slept in because the bridge traffic snarl up du jour was over and done with by the time I hit the pavement.  TGIF but watch out for those tricky closures of this lane or that lane, or this ramp or that ramp over the weekend.

Hold the phone!!!!!

"Stop Freak'n and call Beacon!" 
Call Roto-Rooter, fast!

Hwy. 99 viaduct is muffed up AGAIN!  Nobody can get ANYWHERE!  And the Battery Street Tunnel seems to be operating more like a clogged drain pipe. 

In other words -- nothing new going on.  It is business as usual on the West Seattle bridge.

That is all.

Oops -- not quite all...... if you are thinking about leaving West Seattle -- don't do it.

Hells Bells!

I am so frigging tired of the West Seattle bridge situation!!!!!  Honestly -- it is so absurd -- we are morons to put up with this $#it.  

Accident investigation shut down 99 northbound -- so nobody could exit the bridge and get on to 99 North -- and that meant everybody and their dog was having to continue crossing the bridge and take  the I-5 or 4th Ave. Exit -- which means that all of us were late to anywhere we may have been going today.

I had the pleasure of crossing the bridge 6 times today.  Twice, the bridge was completely backed up to 35th Ave.   I kept thinking to myself "Do it!  Do it!  Just get out of your car, leave it running, and walk away!"  I would have LOVED to have done that -- just muck up the mess even more.  Does that mean I have a screw loose, or do other people ever get so fed up that they want to do irrational and stupid things too?

But I digress....

Apparently there was a horrible accident someplace up on 99 Northbound.   This required the police to position cruisers on the bridge, blocking the exit to 99 north so an accident investigation could commence.  That must have been one confusing accident (huh?) because the accident investigation went on forever -- 99 northbound was closed for about 4 hours!  I do feel horribly for whoever may have lost their life in that accident -- and for their family.  It is tragic and I am sure if it had been a loved one of mine I would very much want/need  there to be an explanation of what happened and why -- but how long does it really take to figure out how a fatal crash/accident happened?  I understand the need to close the highway for a certain, reasonable, amount of time -- but can't they take photos and review those for answers, along with talking with witnesses, instead of keeping the highway closed for hours and hours?   Geez Louise!  I mean REALLY -- knowing that portion of 99 -- there must have been about 100 other drivers who witnessed the accident.  Collect witness names and contact info, clear the accident, take lots of photos and video, and then get the heck out of there.  Having that highway blocked during prime commute time is INSANE.  

Oh, and to make matters worse - during the duration of this outrageously long closure of 99 north, a car ran out of gas or just stopped working in the middle of the bridge -- blocking another lane -- OMG -- just when you think it can't get any worse... it ALWAYS CAN get worse.

Oh well-- tomorrow is a new day and I'm sure this couldn't possibly happen two days in a row, right? Tomorrow's commute will be a dream in comparison to the misery that was going on today.  Plus, it will hopefully be "Friday Lite".

Packing peanuts from heaven?

Yesterday's bridge commute was irritating and entertaining at the same time.

Traffic was backed up going West, with one lane closed due to SDT truck trying to corral millions of green packing peanuts that had escaped from ???????   The peanuts were floating, falling, blowing around the traffic -- and forming drifts along the sides of the roadway.  It looked like snow, or nuclear fallout.   It also looked like an impossible job for SDT -- sort of Three Stooges in scope -- trying to pick up millions of packing peanuts that are crazily blowing around on a huge bridge.  The West Seattle bridge is continuously bombarded by crosswinds.  The wind was playing with the peanuts and making them dance and tumble and float and blow around EVERYWHERE.   How do you hope to collect them with that kind of wind blowing.  Not to mention SDT had to contend with the cars, cars, cars, and trucks, trucks, trucks, and motorcycles, and the occasional wayward and birdbrained bicyclist who were all attempting to get across the bridge.  So what is the solution?  SDT decided to close half the lanes off so they could catch the little boogers and clean them off the bridge.  Uh, that is a very ambitious goal -- or should I say "impossible" - but you gotta give it to them -- they tried.  I can imagine the crew that was dispatched -- they probably said something like this " You want us to go and do WHAT!!!????"  then under their breath "F-ing unbelievable -- what dumb @$$ came up with that brilliant idea -- oh well, it all pays the same so why do I care?" 

Several large plastic bags of packing peanuts were also rolling round on the East bound lanes -- getting ready to be busted open by oncoming traffic.   I guess it could have been much worse -- it could have been other things dropped off a truck and loose on the bridge -- such as chickens, or marbles, or thumb tacks, or super glue.

Anyway -- the packing peanuts were a huge distraction that slowed people down.  But actually it was the SDT closing off a lane that allowed all of us commuters a chance to study the aerodynamic properties of packing peanuts.   And of course it was a mess (the commute and the bridge covered with green, Styrofoam)..  But it was at least different and unique.   If we have to be backed up in traffic, like we are every day anyway, it might as well be because of something interesting and different -- and green packing peanuts filling the air and piling up like snow on the bridge qualifies as "different".

As a footnote -- I was chagrinned at the amount of packing peanuts that were set free into our pristine NW ecosystem.  I couldn't help but consider how long those packing peanuts would be around to muck up the Earth (I think they say Styrofoam does not decompose or degrade for at least 15,000 years).   At least they were on a trajectory to land someplace in the Duwamish River -- which  already produces three eyed frogs anyway.

Bus lane... wha 'dat?

Who can drive in the bus lane?  This should be a no brainer but based on my observations, it is very, very confusing for a small, but very annoying, percentage of West Seattle commuters.   Let me clear up the matter for ya...

A bus lane is for a bus.

End of story.

As a footnote:  
I am pretty sure all you people who drive your car (not bus) in the "bus" lane know darn well you are doing something wrong -- but you think you are somehow more important than others on the road and you also don't give a rat's @$$ about the bus riders who may be late because you pretended not to know what a type of vehicle is allowed to drive in a "bus" lane.  

Was it as good for you as it was for me? ;)

Talk about your commute by posting a comment under "post a comment"  below. 

• Thoughts on the bridge situation welcome. 

• Personal anecdotes particularly appreciated.

Why must they close the bridge?

Bridge closures piss us off.  Am I right?  Even when I know, by accessing my frontal lobe, that bridge repairs require bridge closures -- I still tend to have quicker access to my reptilian brain - which tells me that any bridge closure is a threat to my life. 

So why does the bridge have to close!?  Please, help me to understand! Paint me a picture!   Actually, photos are even better.   So a big "Thank you!" goes out to the Washington State Department of Transportation.  They have begun adding photos to their "driver alert" information.  The photos show actual damages requiring the dreaded bridge closures.  Photos are good -- they help me to understand what is not easy to understand -- such as why I can't get off I-5 and cross the bridge :(   After all, I must cross the bridge to get home, and if I am on I-5, I must have a way to get off I-5 and get on to the bridge, n'est-ce pas? (or “Capisce" -- since I'm Sicilian).  


If you have ever tried to read the WSDOT's website for road closure projects, then you know they are helpful but a bit convoluted.

Now that there are photos -- ahhhhh, much better!

Here is an example:

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/53B65512-42DE-477A-A2D8-DFDCF6B91121/0/I5_ExpansionJoint_and_DeckRehab_11x17.pdf

Here is the latest advisory, in case you are not aware -- it may impact your weekend plans:

August 20, 2013

• Driver alert: The northbound I-5 ramp to upper S. Spokane St./West Seattle Bridge will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23 through 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 26 for paving work.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/i5/seattlebridgerepair/

Toodles!

What the F is a gore point?

Click here if you want to know
What the F is a gore point?

Word power is world power :)    So I hope you will take a minute to learn a new word.  You will never need it, but you will impress your friends.  

If you have ever driven across the West Seattle bridge, then you have seen a gore point.  And if you ever breach the gore point during your commute -- woe be to you!

If you want to know more about how this relates to the West Seattle bridge commute, just go to my favorite local news source, www.westseattleblog.com  and search on "gore"...

 

 

No cross -- No Care!

Summer provides me great respite from having to commute across the bridge.

During this blissful bridge crossing sabbatical,  I have made a most astounding, albeit discouraging discovery.  I believe I have uncovered the mystery as to why there is such complacency, by many in Seattle, about the ridiculous and unbelievable West Seattle bridge commute situation.

The complacency of the multitudes of non West Seattle bridge commuters is quite simply the result of ignorance stemming from  inexperience.  Stupid non-commuters -- they don't care and they don't even care that they don't care.

Example:  I have a friend who all but dismissed my complaints about the horrendous nature of my daily commute across the bridge.   Whenever I would describe the utter moronic bridge experience -- and begin to foam at the mouth and rage on about how ridiculous and unacceptable it was -- she would simply nod her head and respond in a most unsatisfying  yet polite way.  "Yes -- that must be very frustrating."  she would say outwardly, while clearly yawning and playing the violin in her head.  She had grown weary of me crying about my commute -- she really had no idea of my pain.  That is the problem -- if you don't commute across the West Seattle bridge, you simply can't imagine the  stupidity of it.

However, today my friend's summer schedule requires that she cross the West Seattle bridge, daily.   And guess what?   She now "gets it" and has earned her stripes.  She is an angry bridge warrior.  And has become a vocal objector, posting complaints on FB. 

As much as I hate to admit,  now that the only commuting I must do is up and down Admiral Way on my way to Alki beach, I can see why most people don't care about those schmucks who must drudge their way across the bridge.  For goodness sakes, we have more important things to worry about -- like whether or not to have foam in our lattes.

And that is why we will likely never see the bridge crossing situation improve -- because the large majority of Seattleites have no idea, and therefore couldn't care less, about how messy, unacceptable, time wasting, crappy. f'd up the morning commute is on the West Seattle bridge.

In summation,  I give you this:   No cross -- no care.  End of story.

*** Please note that I will soon have to resume my place among the thousands of commuters I lovingly refer to as my bridge buddies.  

Right of way people!

In order to "cross the bridge" you must first get to the bridge, correct?

This part is trickier for some than for others.   Unmarked intersections and traffic circles (or "round abouts") apparently push some West Seattle commuters way beyond their capacity to cope -- so they throw their hands up in the air and proceed to wreck things.   

Here is a pop quiz.  When you come to a traffic circle you are supposed to:

a.  Drive over it
b.  Enter it going in a clockwise direction
c.  Enter it going in a counter clockwise direction
d.  Avoid it all together
e.  Speed up and close your eyes
f.   Stop and scratch

If you are confounded by all this traffic circle business, take a looksy here...
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/safety/roundabouts/

Don't leave home w/o checking "the blog"

If you live in West Seattle, then you KNOW what "the blog" is, right?

It is the West Seattle Blog, of course!

www.westseattleblog.com

If you want traffic alerts and updates regarding your ETA from West Seattle to anything East of the bridge -- then here is the place to go... the West Seattle Blog is always a sure bet:

http://westseattleblog.com/category/west-seattle-traffic-alerts
http://westseattleblog.com/category/west-seattle-traffic-alerts

Here is our illustrious West Seattle bridge -- I took this photo from a Beacon Hill vantage point -- a detour route I routinely traverse to avoid downtown I-5 traffic.

And if you just want to make some comments about your experience on the bridge -- please drop by my blog and do so any time.  

Accidents happen -- oh yes they do!

There was an accident on the bridge today.  Two tow trucks and smashed cars were observed.   Delays happened.  Yada yada.  That's all I got.  Good day and carry on.

Oh, one more thing... it is sunny and the Mt. is OUT!

Mt. Rainier as viewed from West Seattle

Local traffic updates.

The trusty westseattleblog always comes through...
http://westseattleblog.com/2013/06/traffictransit-today-finally-friday


And for today's selection / photo from my bridge crossings...

Life affirming...


Sometimes there are things we witness that are life affirming.
Seen on the West Seattle bridge -- foliage springing forth from what appears to be barren concrete

As you can imagine, I was at a dead stop on the bridge when I  snapped this pic.